ECHO's Standard Operating Mode
Analog -
435.225 MHz FM Voice Downlink
145.920 MHz FM Voice Uplink + 67 Hz PL tone
+ simultaneous
Digital - 9600 bps, AX.25, PACSAT Protocol mailbox
435.150 MHz FM Downlink
145.860 MHz FM Uplink
+
Telemetry in the digital stream
Standard operations will occur each day except Wednesday.
ECHO Analog Voice Operation
Downlink: 435.225 MHz FM
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM + 67 Hz tone (same tone as SO-50)
1-6 Watts out (programmable)
ECHO Digital Operation
Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM
Uplink : 145.860 MHz FM 9600 bps FM, AX.25
using the PACSAT Protocol Suite (like UO-22, KO-23/25)
Scheduled 1 Watt output
Store & Forward mailbox + telemetry
WiSP software manages the S&F mailbox
Telemetry in the data stream, WOD in file
Sample WiSP screen decoding UO-22
ECHO Broadcast callsign PACB-11
ECHO BBS callsign PACB-12
Preliminary ECHO Telemetry decoding screen from Mike Kingery
ECHO Experimenter's Day Operation
Wednesdays (UTC) 00:00 - 23:59
Default configuration will be:
1268.700 MHz uplink 9600 bps FM
2401.200 MHz downlink at 38.4 kbps FM
The ECHO Operations committee will determine modes and schedules for experiments.
Other experimental modes
FM voice Mode V/U, L/S and HF/U
Mode V/S, L/U, HF/S are also possible
Digital Store and Forward using 9.6 kbps, 38.4 kbps, 57.6 kbps or 76.8 kbps
PSK 31 Uplink on 10M SSB and downlink UHF FM
SQRX receiver retransmissions on UHF
Multi-band, multi-mode (10 MHz -1.3 GHz)
APRS transmissions - ground systems can receive 20 characters status messages
Experimental Torquer Rod
The torquer rod normally aligns the satellite with the earth's magnetic field. This experimental rod can alter its charge direction and strength, thus changing the satellite angle or even reversing it.
ECHO Commissioning
Jim White reports that it make take anywhere between two weeks to two months. Once complete, the satellite will be opened to general use.
Commissioning will begin within hours of launch.
Launch window begins the end of June 2004.
Look forward to an exciting and versatile satellite in ECHO!
Much Thanks go to the ECHO Project Team (Rick Hambly, W2GPS, Dick Daniels, W4PUJ and Tom Clark, W3IWI), AMSAT BOD, SpaceQuest, and the many AMSAT volunteers including Jim White, Mike Kingery, Chuck Green, Lou McFadin, Stan Wood, Harold Price, Bob Diersing, Chuck Schultz, Harold Sanderson and Skip Hansen.
Look forward to an exciting new satellite!
Additional ECHO Information
AMSAT has a new book exclusively about ECHO.
54 pages full of information about ECHO's Operation, Development and Component Specifications
ECHO development
Launch site information
Launch vehicle information
Other satellites launching with ECHO
Basic satellite Commissioning process
Specifications on the various satellite components
Additional operational information
Experimental modes
Telemetry channels
AMSAT BB
AMSAT Journal
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Mark Kanawati of SpaceQuest mounting a satellite similar to ECHO to the satellite platform
(photo courtesy SpaceQuest)
